That said, I'm not having as much fun with it as I did in the earlier seasons, for reasons I won't go into in details about since you're not caught up. Suffice it to say that I think they're having having some trouble because of the constraints production places on the story.

I think you're right.

I've been hot and cold on the series, I think because the show runs the same way. Stretches of it are very compelling, while others are boring and overstay their welcome. I'll probably dive back in a some point.

I never really felt the program was boring until they arrived Alexandria. From that point forward, increasingly, I agree, there are parts that are still quite good, and others that are...less so. I can't recall if you'd seen any of the episodes since that point. I know there is at least one episode that I will likely never revisit. All I'll say about it is, Beware the Cheesemaker. There's only one element in the whole damn, extra-length thing that has any interest at all, and it's never addressed. Should you ever watch that one, and you'll know which one it is, let me know: I'd like your take on the matter in question.

Now, Into the Badlands--have you seen Season One? I can wholehearted recommend it. Just six episodes, really quite entertaining. A different post-apocalyptic scenario, plenty of martial arts action. Good pacing. Good performances. Interesting mysteries.

Haven't seen any of it. But I think I need to bump it up to the top of my list. Sounds great.

Season One, definitely. Season Two, I'm still trying to decide on. There are some very weird references in it, some political, some not (last week, there was an ESB reference), but they make me wonder.

There are some very weird references in it, some political, some not (last week, there was an ESB reference), but they make me wonder.

Makes you wonder...?

Makes me wonder if they haven't got a clue what to do next, so they're killing time with references and homages while they try to figure out what to/whether or not they'll be renewed for a third season. But, it's still fun, so I'm still watching. Just as long as they don't go down that Lost road.

The last program I watched was..."The Erlenmeyer Flask," final episode of Season 1 of The X-Files. Well, I sorta watched it. I saw the first few minutes, anyway and then...I think I saw the menu for the DVD: I nodded off.

I watched a few episodes of the remastered Star Trek: The Next Generation on Netflix. I had forgotten how many bad episodes there were...

Especially early on.

Yes, especially during the writer's strike during the second season (when they had to resort to polishing up old Star Trek: Phase II scripts), but they're sprinkled throughout...

borgmatrix wrote:Last for me was the new episode of Game of Thrones last night. Glad I got caught up before this season started. Solid stuff so far. A lot of nice payoffs after years building up to this point.

That's something I've never picked up on. I don't have HBO, but Swedish public service television has been airing the series from the beginning. Bummer that one didn't start to follow it.

Yes, especially during the writer's strike during the second season (when they had to resort to polishing up old Star Trek: Phase II scripts), but they're sprinkled throughout...

I didn't realize a writer's strike had affected things. Though, overall, I still remember the second season being better given how horrible the first half of season 1 had been. The show was at its peak probably from seasons 3-5, and then started to decline. Though those last couple seasons were still likely better than the first two seasons.

But you're right, even at its best, there were duds.

That's something I've never picked up on. I don't have HBO, but Swedish public service television has been airing the series from the beginning. Bummer that one didn't start to follow it.

It took me a while to get into it, given the slow-burn nature of the show and how many characters I hated. But it definitely felt worth by the time of late season 5 and season 6.

I watched a couple seasons by way of dvd/Blu-ray. Currently, I'm watching on HBO Go.

Yes, especially during the writer's strike during the second season (when they had to resort to polishing up old Star Trek: Phase II scripts), but they're sprinkled throughout...

I didn't realize a writer's strike had affected things.

Yes, it was the '88 Writers Guild of America strike. The episode The Child in which Troi got pregnant with a child that developed at an advanced rate was adapted from a Phase II script. In the Phase II script, it was Ilia (who had already been cast with Persis Khambatta) who got pregnant by an alien entity and had a child which developed abnormally fast. The plot was simplified for TNG and the excellent fan series Star Trek: New Voyages developed it into an episode (largely as written) with the original writer as the director.

The strike was also the reason for the episode Shades of Grey which included clips from earlier episodes.

borgmatris wrote:Though, overall, I still remember the second season being better given how horrible the first half of season 1 had been. The show was at its peak probably from seasons 3-5, and then started to decline. Though those last couple seasons were still likely better than the first two seasons.

But you're right, even at its best, there were duds.

Yes, it wasn't very good. There are a few episodes I like from the first half of season 1 such as Lonely Among Us, The Battle and I of course I love Q. Roddenberry had some... strange ideas and those constrained the writers too much.

I watched a rerun of a Mythbusters episode I had missed followed by Wheeler Dealers.

Season 7 finale of Game of Thrones. Leaves them in a good position for the final 6 episodes. Glad they cleaned up some dangling things, and set up resolutions for others. The chess board feels appropriately manned for the last run.

Season 7 finale of Game of Thrones. Leaves them in a good position for the final 6 episodes. Glad they cleaned up some dangling things, and set up resolutions for others. The chess board feels appropriately manned for the last run.

That was one of the major talking points at work. I haven't watched the series so I felt a bit outside of the loop...